Courage And Sacrifice
by DandelionsandMeadows
Summary: 'Dreams was our downfall, we only believed in fantasises, we did not look upon the real truth', In 19th Century France, many people are sick and tired of the constant changes of the law. Their anger kindled by the tyrant that ruled over their heads. Peeta Mellark, once a young grandson of a rich Aristocrat, looks back in time of how his life changed forever. Historical AU.


**4 MINUTES PAST 3 IN THE MORNING, 1859**

I sit on the worn out stool, my tears fall freely, my heart clenches with grief and guilt. I can almost hear their cheery voices echoing through these very four walls, I can almost imagine the small candle flickering in the table in the corner, where everyone talked of a new world, where god would liberate and give us freedom, but it all was too good to be real. The rebellion failed and all my friends are gone, also my left leg, replaced with a hollow wooden leg. The consequences of playing soldiers, is no glory, in fact the consequences were worse than death, I thought I had not have a reason to live, but Katniss always keeps me right, keeps me standing tall. Despite of the heavy weight of the rebellion that I still carry with me, I always try my best to have a positive look on life.

I stare at the blood stained flag that hangs sadly on the window, as if it felt the defeat we had. I stand up and slowly walk to it, the smell of blood and roses getting stronger and stronger, my body shivers at the odours strength, but I fight it and manage to pick up the flag. As soon as my hand makes contact with it, a thousand flashbacks hit me like a cannon, making a single building collapse with one shot. Once more I hear the chairs and tables being thrown on the ground to make a barricade, the piercing scream of small Rory shot by a heartless soldier. The white roses that bare upon the enemies flags, flames that rose higher with every single shot of the cannon, the last tune sung by the people of France at General Paylor's funeral. Every single memory is too much to bare. I collapse down onto the floor, weeping once more with the flag gripped tightly in my hand. I cry in the dark for what feels like an eternity.

***  
The sun persists on rising, so I make myself stand. I hear Katniss coming up the steps , I turn to the stairs and see her there, her small smile instantly lifting my spirits. With her gloved silk hand, she holds it out for me and I gladly take it, with her free hand she follows some of the lines of my tearstained face. I give her a small smile in return and she helps me down the stairs. She steps into the carriage first and I follow her after. We ride in silence, only the sound of the horses hooves clicking and the early mockingjays to accompany us, she leans her head on my shoulder and holds my hand. She knows that I only need comfort, not words of sympathy or anything, just comfort.

When we arrive to our home, our new dawn in our lives greets us once we step through the doors, ''Mama!Papa! I have something to ask you! But first follow me!'' but before she was about to grab my hand, she looks up at my face and her azure eyes starts to show sadness,''What is wrong Papa? Are you sad?'' my heart falls a little at her concern, I pick her up and hold her tight.

''No darling, it's just Papa is not feeling too well that is all'' I tell her, this is no lie for it is true, I'm truly not feeling well, ''Why don't you get nurse Annie to go and entertain you for awhile and let me and you Mama rest okay?'' I whisper in her ear, I put her down and she gives me a small sad smile before dashing up the stairs , calling Annie.

After she is out of sight , Katniss pulls me in for a warming embrace, ''You cannot carry the guilt upon your self. I am sure God has granted them peace Peeta'' she tells me, I slightly shake my head at her words. Even if I have the real courage to believe her, but instead I choose to cower in the dark. The rest of the day is uneventful, well for some of us. Katniss was invited for an afternoon tea with her friends, she was hesitant to go, but I sent her off, saying that I would be okay, that I just needed some peace. She left me sitting in the garden with a look of pity on her face.

So I sit in the garden, recalling the events in my head as if it was a story book.

* * *

**12 MINUTES PAST MIDNIGHT, 6 WEEKS BEFORE THE REBELLION, MAY 1856**

''Peeta my dear friend, what troubles you on this early morning?''Finnick asks beside me, I just shake my head to brush him off, but clearly this does not work, ''Come on, tells us!'' I shoot him a glare which hopefully tells him to go away, which of course he takes and puts his hands up in surrender, I go back to staring at my untouched glass of wine. For the next 2 long hours, I block out the cheers and awful drunks singing behind me. Finnick , by now has gone up to the small wooden stage and has probably made a fool of himself. All my thoughts are on my grandfather's words from yesterday morning.

_''PEETA! You shame our families name! How dare you make contact or involve yourself with all those pieces of dirt, The Odair boy does the same thing to! Why are you following his footsteps!'' he yells at me, I startle myself at his sudden outburst. My Grandfather is a gentle , kind man. Not this angry, raging man in front of me. ''Tell me boy! Why are you!''_

_''They are my friends! Not dirt! The government has been treating them unfairly, they want someone who can rule properly! Not like that arrogant, tyrant of a King we have ruling upon our heads!'' I yell at him, then I feel a sharp pain in my shoulder, I look up and see my grandfather holding up his cane, once more, ready to strike me.  
_

_''I wonder why Delilah left you for Lord Thom, he has more...''_

_''BE QUIET! This has nothing to do with Delly or why she left me!'' WHACK! A sharp pain once more strikes in my shoulder, I dare to say more, ''The People of France are sick of him, they want justice, they have been ignored! They need to voice out their thoughts to...''I don't have time to reply because this time he strikes me upon the head._

_''UNGRATEFUL CHILD! YOU don't realise how much he has done for us...''_

_''JUST BECAUSE YOU BEND YOUR OLD BACK DOWN TO HIM YOU SILLY OLD MAN!'' I burst out, I gasp at my choice of words, instantly regretting for shouting those horrible things at him. I dare to look him straight in the eye. All I see is shame and fury in them. Before he says anything I walk out of the door, my head hanging in shame._

It felt like a piece of my heart was ripped out from the moment I stepped out from the gates of the house. Too many gray clouds hang over my head. I am too busy feeling pathetic to notice most of the men have gone home to their families, only Finnick is left. He puts his hand on my shoulder, telling me that I can refuge at his home for now. I nod dumbly and follow him, like a lost wandering child.

He shows me to my room and I mumble a thank you to him before he shuts the door behind me, knowing that I want to drown from my own sorrows, I lie down on the bed, not bothering to change my clothes and shut my eyes, slowly falling asleep, my last thoughts about joining the rebellion.

I wake up, not long after my sleep. The sound of chatter tells me that the rest of Finnick's family have awoken. I have never met his family before, so I hope I do not make any bad impressions. I stretch my arms, and get out of the bed. I see a pile of clothes for me on a little quilted chair in the corner. I quickly wash my face from the small bowl of water set out for me. I get changed and open the door and head downstairs, into the small dining room.

''Good Morning''I greet them all, trying to sound happy as I can, though this fools his family, Finnick knows I still feel down, he gives me a look of concern and I give him a small smile before sitting down on the chair a maid pulls out for me, I thank her and settle down, patiently waiting for the food going to come. I try my best to listen to what Finnick's wife has to say, I don't catch much but I nod my head a couple of times as if I was bothered.**  
**

The maids come in with our breakfast and put them down on the table, putting the napkins on our laps and stand in the side, hanging their heads down in respect. I gratefully tuck in to my food, but it all feels like eating mud, but I muster enough strength to eat, because I really do not want to sound ungrateful to the Odairs who have done so much for me in return.

''Would like to come over to the Undersee house with us today?''Finnick asks, I look at him from across the table and see that he is only trying to distract me from my thoughts. But I shake my head and politely reply a 'No'. The rest of breakfast is eaten in uncomfortable silence. , Finnick's mother looks a little uncomfortable even though she does not know what's going on.

I stand up and thank them for their hospitality to me and go back upstairs to my room, where for the rest of the day I sit on my bed, staring at the wall, in deep thought.

Finnick comes around to my room at around lunch time and tells me that I need to get out and about.

''Please Peeta, my family and I are really concerned about you, do it for me''he pleads with me, I turn to face him but I speak no words, he sighs in defeat and puts his hands up in the air, ''Here , I will leave you my small messenger bag with some money in it if you change your mind, the key is also there too'' and with that he puts the bag down on the foot of the bed and heads out the door, closing it behind him with a slam.

My eyes flit to the bag that lies on the foot of my bed, and I stare at it for awhile. An hour passes and then I decide to move, I get up and sling the messenger bag on, I put on my shoes and look in the mirror, I get some water and pull some of my hair back, making me look presentable enough to go out.

I open the door and close it quietly, I sneak across the hall and go down the stairs, checking if there is any maids around, I quickly sneak a look in the dining room. Everything seems clear and then I dash out the door like a child, not bothering to close the door behind me. The cold autumn air hits my face and I almost feel refreshed, my hair falls back down again and I just leave it.

I walk in the direction heading towards the market, for what they call the 'Hob' , it is a local black market which everyone goes too, even the aristocrats try to enter, but that just ends badly into a fight and one poor innocent man gets sent to jail or instantly hung. I shiver at the thoughts of a man suffering for something he didn't do.

I enter the tall building and instantly the smell of eastern spices and hot soup hits my nose, I breathe it in, my head getting a little dizzy from the strong sent. I glance around my surroundings, people everywhere, selling, chatting, arguing and laughing. I wish I had some kind of memory capture thing without having to use my eyes. The candle lit lanterns hang above in the celling, dancing around from the constant tall person jumping up and touching them.

One small thing catches my eye though from all the bustling crowds and sellers. Everything goes blurry and all noise is blocked out except from one woman, one beautiful woman. She looks rich but what she is doing shocks me, she is giving a poor man some money and food, and the children around him, who happen to be girls, small porcelain dolls and some sweets. She laughs and smiles at them. I would expect everyone here to be giving her dirty looks but in fact, she seems welcome, like she is family.

Every single person in every single stall welcomes her, giving her free things and she gives things return, and when there is children she always gives them a small peck on the head , no matter how dirty they are. She gives them fresh water in jars to them. I have never seen a woman do this before. I mean, women with her class would normally stay away from these kind of places or their fathers would simply forbid giving to the poor. But she looks like she's a rebel.

She just manages to catch my eye and her grey eyes meet mine, she gives me a small smile and instantly all my troubles and cares are gone, I am gawking at her like there is no tomorrow, but all my thoughts were collapsed by a small tap on the shoulder.

''What!'' I snap at the person clearly irritated, my friend Delly Cartwright stands in front of me, with her usual clothing of pants and a small revealing cloth wrapped around her built up body. She is from the Seam, a small part of Paris, that where most of the poor people live.

'' Hello Peeta!_ Vous êtes en amour avec le chanteur?'' _She asks me, I roll my eyes at her and just start walking off, ''Hey If you wanna stalk her ya gotta know where she lives!'' she shouts, I stop in my tracks. I turn back to her with my best scowl on.

''I don't want to stalk her but go on...''I ask her sheepishly yet irritated.

''She lives near the hanging noose, at the right side, I white washed wall house with 'em Primroses around their houses''she tells me. All my frustration and worries are gone, and a new kind of excitement kindles with in me. I flash her a bright smile and hug her tightly.

''Thank you!''I start twirling her around, she laughs and tells me to put her down, ''Thank you, I am tonight going to win the heart of Lady Everdeen!'' I shout and then give Delly a quick kiss on the head before dashing back to Finnick's house once more to get myself prepared.

**DELLY POV**

I wish I could find some way to tell him about my feelings for him. But I can't because already he has given his heart to another, and it breaks my heart, saddens me greatly. So I walk home with a heavy heart, just putting a mask so nobody can see the weak me.

I arrive at the Inn and the usual smell of urine and vomit greets me once more as I enter through the rotten door. Everyone dances on the table and some preforming sexual things to men. The usual thump of the prostitutes upstairs makes me want to die to live in these sorts of places.

''Delilah, what's wrong sweetie''My drunk dad slurred to me, I shrug him off and push him back, and stomp up all the way up to my room. I open the door and see having a great time with Glimmer, I yell in disgust and slam the door. I have to sleep in there. My life is hell.

* * *

_I would like to thank Court81981 for giving me some advice how to write a Historical AU story, please review. _


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